Ilford SFX 200 Filters

RaglanSurf

RaglanSurf

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Nick
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I've got a few rolls of Ilford SFX 200 in the fridge and would like to know what filters folk have used with this film. Ilford recommend a deep red filter but what constitutes a deep red filter? On Amazon you can get a set of 4 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Neewer-52Mm-Infrared-Filter-Kit/dp/B0044QZ8HG/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1405243017&sr=1-2&keywords=ir720 filter 52mm but I don't know if any of these are a deep red filter. I've looked at the ilford info sheet and there seems to be lots of recommendations for filters all with different names and codes and I'm a tad confused.

Ilford recommendations
Very deep red

ILFORD SFX, B+W RG665, B+W 092, Heliopan 695 and 715, Hoya R72 and Kodak Wratten 89B. These filters give an even more dramatic effect than deep red filters. However, exposure times with these filters can be very long, so the use of a tripod is recommended.

Deep red

B+W 091, Heliopan 29, Kodak Wratten 29 and Rodenstock 29. These filters give a more dramatic effect than red filters.
 
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I have an R72 filter book marked but I don't remember the source but it might be a start for your search.
 
I have used sfx with a Hoya r72 filter which gives a strong IR effect; more subtle though than you get with Rollei IR 400 film.

I did try a few shots with a red filter which were ok, but since sfx is quite grainy and I'm not keen on grain, I only use it when I want a good ir effect, then with r72 filter
 
I've now dug out some test shots and other examples of SFX in both 35mm and 120 format. First the 35mm shots.

The following three shots are (a) with no filter, (b) with a red filter (but a "normal red" ie Wratten 25, not a "deep red" Wratten 29), then (c) with a Hoya R72 filter.

View attachment 16011

Above = NO filter

View attachment 16012
Above = NORMAL RED filter
View attachment 16013

Above - Hoya R72 filter

As you can see, all of the above are rather grainy
 
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And now for two 120 shots, with no filter and an R72 filter

View attachment 16014

Above = NO filter

View attachment 16015

Above = Hoya R72 filter

The improved image quality in 120 is very clear. I have three rolls of 120 SFX in the freezer and I'm happy to use them, but the 35mm fails my personal tolerance level for grain.

All of the shots (35mm and 120) were developed with Fotospeed FD10 which is similar to Ilfosol 3.
 
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Thanks Kevin, that's a really useful comparison.
 
Nick, I shot some 10 year old SFX 120 in my ETRS with a standard Hoya R25 filter, I was quite please with the results in spite of the marks on the film from the backing paper

11195475943_aee5c97ed5_c.jpg



11195297464_a4159bdd16_c.jpg
 
That's a pleasing look you've got there. I'm really looking forward to trying this, I just have to wait for the filter to arrive.
 
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IIRC, a few years back 7dayshop were flogging SFX and were giving a filter away with a 6 pack. It was a gel filter and (again) IIRC was a Cokin one.
 
Nod said:
IIRC, a few years back 7dayshop were flogging SFX and were giving a filter away with a 6 pack. It was a gel filter and (again) IIRC was a Cokin one.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately it's not something they do any more.
 
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Ha ha, you really shouldn't let drunk Steve have a credit card. :)
 
The Rollei IR400 film is, in my opinion, a much more useful film than SFX200, because:

a) It produces a more pronounced IR effect, with an R72 filter.
b) It looks good without a filter, or with yellow or orange, as does SFX200, but it's cheaper than SFX200.

Because of the price difference, I would tend to only load SFX when I planned for the majority of the roll to be infra-red, but I'd be happy to shoot a roll of IR400 in non-filtered more with the possibility of using the R72 filter on a few shots.

Here is Rollei IR 400 film with an R73 filter:


Coire Loch by Kevin J Allan, on Flickr

and the same film with no filter:


Vintage in Wales by Kevin J Allan, on Flickr

Both were shot on a Yashicamat 124G and developed in Rodinal.
 
Kevin Allan said:
The Rollei IR400 film is, in my opinion, a much more useful film than SFX200, because:

a) It produces a more pronounced IR effect, with an R72 filter.
b) It looks good without a filter, or with yellow or orange, as does SFX200, but it's cheaper than SFX200.

Because of the price difference, I would tend to only load SFX when I planned for the majority of the roll to be infra-red, but I'd be happy to shoot a roll of IR400 in non-filtered more with the possibility of using the R72 filter on a few shots.

Here is Rollei IR 400 film with an R73 filter:


Coire Loch by Kevin J Allan, on Flickr

and the same film with no filter:


Vintage in Wales by Kevin J Allan, on Flickr

Both were shot on a Yashicamat 124G and developed in Rodinal.
Click to expand...

Thanks Kevin. That's an interesting comparison, it does look a reasonable 400 film.
 
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